How to Make "Ellijay Apple Bread" at Home!

Blake's Pseudo-Ellijay Apple Bread

OK, so no one in Ellijay would spill the beans (or apples...) and give me
their recipe for Ellijay apple bread. No matter.. as a former chef and
chemical / environmental engineer (at different times... I didn't serve aliphatic hydrocarbons
to customers) I was determined to reverse-engineer the recipe. And I have!

Following this recipe, you'll make bread that tastes just like the Ellijay
apple bread... without the long drive at today's gas prices to get it! (why
don't they sell it in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville, Charlotte and other Southern cities?)

After tasting and testing a dozen loaves of apple bread last weekend in
Ellijay, I discovered that there are two main types: yeast and quick, The
yeast type uses yeast to raise the dough; the quick type uses baking powder. The
consensus among my group of tasters is that the yeast variety is substantially
better!

The quick types are definitely faster and easier to make, but most
people do prefer the yeast types. It's up to you to choose!

Plus, I've eliminated the trans-fats and much of the fat I saw listed
on the ingredients on the packages of Ellijay Apple breads that I
tasted, so this version ought to be healthier than anything you can buy!

Let me know which you like
and any tips and tricks you learn and I'll share them here! I keep
tweaking and improving the recipe each time I make, so it always gets a
little better. But the version below is better than any I've had
in Ellijay!

Blake's Yeast Apple Bread

Revised January 2013

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm water (to start the yeast)

2 packets of dry yeast (Fleischman's or whichever you prefer;
you will find it near the baking supplies, like baking powder
and spices in the grocery store)

1 teaspoon of salt (optional)

2 Tablespoons Cinnamon

1/2 cup of sugar OR 1/2 cup of of honey or agave (for sweetness AND
the yeast needs it!) I presume that diabetics could make a solution
of an equvalent amount of Splenda or Stevia with a 1/2 cup of water,
but I have not tried that.

1/3 cup of vegetable shortening (I use coconut oil; others use the trans-fat-free
version of Crisco - in the green label)

Directions

Step 1 - Activate the yeast

Dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 cup of warm water and set it aside in a
warm place (room temperature is fine, unless your room is below 60 F (15
C) ), to activate the yeast.

Step 2 - Make the dough

Combine the salt, cinnamon, sugar (or honey; I prefer honey) shortening and hot
water in a large bowl and mix them well with a large spoon and/or your
hands.

Step 3 - Add the applesauce, dry milk and yeast mixture

Stir in the applesauce, next the powdered milk, then the yeast/water
mixture. It will obviously be pretty soupy!

Step 4 - Gradually add the flour

Slowly add the flour, about 1 cup at a time, pausing to mix well,
until it forms a stiff dough. It will start out wet, then get
sticky. You want to add just enough flour to get barely get to the
"sticky" stage. It will probably take about 6.5 to 7 cups of
flour.

Step 5 - Knead the dough

On a lightly floured board, or countertop, knead the dough for about
10 minutes. Of course, if you have a KitchenAid (Sunbeam, or
equivalent) with a dough hook, you can use that to knead the dough (much
easier!)

Step 6 - Peel the apples

Peel and core 2 medium to large apples.
The fastest way to peel the apples is one of these peelers! If you use
the blade up (on the end of it), it also slices and cores the apples, in
addition to peeling! With firm
apples, it takes about 20 seconds per apple. These apple peelers don't work
well on soft, mushy apples or apples with soft spots on them. In that case
your stuck with a hand peeler!

Step 7 - Dice the apples

I like pieces that are about 1/8 inch thick and 1/4 to 1/2 inch
across. Mix the apple pieces into the dough.

Step 8 - Let the dough rise until doubled in size

Put the dough in a large bowl covered with cling film (plastic wrap) and set it in a warm place (80 F to 110 F) to rise. I turn the
oven on for 5 minutes at 200 F to get it warm, then turn it off and put
the bowl of dough in there.

Step 9 - Punch the dough down

When the dough has rise to about double in size, uncover the dough
and with your fists, punch it down. You can shape the dough into a
likeness of your mother-in-law before you punch it down, but that is
strictly optional.

Step 10 - Let the dough rise again

Cover the bowl again and put it back in the warm place (80 F to 110
F) to rise again, until it has doubled in size.

Step 11 - Grease the bread loaf pans

While the dough is rising, take 2 standard bread loaf pans (9" x 5")
and lightly grease (using shortening or
butter) and then "flour" (put 3 tablespoons of lour in and shake it
around, then dump the excess out) them.

Step 12 - Make the loaves

Split the dough into 2 equal halves, then shape each half into a
bread loaf that will fit in the pan (i.e., make an oblong/rectangle
shape)

Step 13 - Let the loaves rise

Put the two loaves back in the warm place (80 F to 110 F) to rise
until they are just 1/2 inch to 1 inch above the top of the pans. This usually takes about
30 minutes. If you have two ovens, get the other oven heating to 350 F.

Step 14 - Make the icing

Do this while the loaves are rising. This is easy! Just put 1
cup of powdered sugar in a bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and
then 1 tablespoon milk. If it it still too thick, add just a
teaspoon of milk. It takes very little milk to liquefy the sugar!

Step 15 - Back until golden brown

Some
people like to put thinly sliced peices of apples on top of the loaves
just before baking them.

Bake in the 350 F oven for about 25 to 35 minutes. The crust should
be golden brown and a thermometer inserted should read between 185 F and
200 F. A convection oven
is ideal for bread since there are no hot spots, otherwise put it in
the center of the oven and check on it so you can pull it out when it
hits a nice golden brown.

Step 16 - Turn out on a cooling rack

Turn the loaf out of the pan and rest it on its side on a cooling
rack for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Step 17 - Icing

While it is cooling you can spoon the icing over the top!

Blake's Apple Bread, (risen with Baking Powder)

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger or cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted (*optional - they don't add
them in Ellijay... but we've just IMPROVED their recipe)

3 cups fresh* ripe apple slices - finely sliced

1 and 3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened (or coconut oil)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Step 1 - Preheat the oven

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Step 2 - Grease the pans

Take 2 standard bread loaf pans (9" x 5") and lightly grease (using shortening or
butter) and then "flour" (put 3 tablespoons of lour in and shake it
around, then dump the excess out) them.

Step 3 - Mix ingredients

Combine the

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger or cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted (*optional - they don't add
them in Ellijay... but we've just IMPROVED their recipe)

3 cups fresh* ripe apple slices - finely sliced

with a wire whisk and set them aside.

Step 4 - Mix the sugar and butter

In a large bowl, blend the sugar and
butter together to make a smooth creamy texture.

Step 5 - Add eggs and vanilla

Stir in the 2 eggs and then 1 teaspoon of vanilla.

Step 6 - Add the chopped apples

Add diced apples and mix.

Step 7 - Combine everything

Add dry ingredients from step 3 to the wet ingredients from step 6
and mix until it is just evenly moistened.

Step 8 - Pour into the loaf pans

Pour into the pans prepared in step 2.

Step 9 - Bake

Bake
for 1 hour or until golden brown.

Step 10 - Cool

Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them upside down onto wire rack
to complete
cooling.

Alternative Quick-Type Apple Bread Recipe

Here's another variation of the baking powder apple
bread recipe above! It's a bit drier and more crumbly that the recipe
above.

Comments from Visitors:

A visitor writes on September 22, 2013: "I wanted to
thank you so much for creating this page! I've never seen so many
amazing recipes in one place, and you clearly explain all the
steps and possible changes that can be made. I live in Kennesaw,
GA and recently went up to Elijay, GA with my girlfriend to get
the first apples of the season. Picked up about 15lbs of apples
and was looking for recipes. I had tried some apple bread up
there, but couldn't find any good recipes for it online. Then I
stumbled across your site and used this recipe. The bread turned
out DELICIOUS. Thank you again for having this site!"

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